"I am lucky to have my pyjamas, boots and a parka. The situation is catastrophic here. You can't imagine the destruction," he said.
"I have seen eight people being pulled dead from the rubble, and none being pulled out alive. Others I heard shouting for help. Locals are digging, civilians are using their trucks, we have no bulldozers, little fuel. My priest from my Orthodox church and a family friend are still under rubble."
Usually based in Beirut, Afisa, who works for a British education firm, was visiting relatives with his girlfriend when Monday's earthquake hit, causing the family to frantically flee their homes.
As a result of the earthquake, at least 3,162 people have been confirmed dead in Syria, with government-held areas reporting 1,262 people dead and 1,900 killed in the rebel-controlled north-west. The combined tally in Turkey and Syria last night stood at more than 20,000, and experts warned that the figure is likely to rise.
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